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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 



UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 



ESTABLISHED 1868. 




2lst ANNUAL PROSPECTUS. 



SEASON 1888-9. 



TWENTY-FIRST ANNUAL PROSPECTUS. 



THE 



Cure of Stammering 



AS PRACTICED P»Y 



J 
DOUGLAS McCALLUM. 



& 




II EAST FOURTEENTH STREET, NEW YORK, 
i! 






Copyright, 1888, 

BY 

DOUGLAS McCALLUM. 



PRESS OF WM. T. HUNTER, 
NEW YORK. 



M 







SEASON OF 1888-1889. 




i^.. McCALLUM extends his compliments, 
and, while opening the twenty-first year 
of the institution over which he presides, 

begs leave to submit testimonials from 
a few recent pupils. 

The School of the Voice has long since passed the 
period of its existence where its ability could be 
doubted, and for many years even the most skeptical 
have been compelled to admit its claim to superiority. 
The pamphlet you have received, and which it has 
been our custom to publish for a number of seasons, 
gives you some general ideas as to our methods of 
procedure, and when proof positive is so constantly 
given by those who are cured, and so many eminent 
men are willing to testify in our behalf, there only 
remains one point for a stammerer to consider. It is 



THE SCHOOL OF THE VOICE. 



whether or no he wishes to be cured. If the answer 
to this question be in the affirmative, then let him 
form the resolution to attend to it with as little delay, 
as possible, and carry out his determination at once. 

One of our pupils, after being cured, says : " Only 
now do I realize that I made a mistake in deliberating 
so long before finally deciding to undertake the 
matter. Not only had the habit grown stronger upon 
me, and consequently required a longer time to cure, 
but I have needlessly stammered for several years 
under great physical and mental strain, let. alone the 
waste of energy in reflecting and studying the matter 
over as to the advisability of placing myself under 
instruction for its removal. I am no student of 
psychology or metaphysics, but I feel sure, that if the 
mental force thus expended had been earlier brought 
to bear in curing me, I should have spent many happy 
hours, instead of the misery endured by a stammerer. 
As it is now, I am well over my difficulty, and must 
make the best of my time, leaving regrets out of the 
question." 

This is the statement of a gentleman, who, nearly 



THE SCHOOL OF THE VOICE. 



arrived at middle age, expresses, though in perhaps 
rather vague terms, a solemn truth. 

If you will pause a moment to consider these words 
of his, you will readily perceive how much time and 
energy is wasted in thinking about this habit of 
stammering. Every stammerer can appreciate it, and 
well-known laws assure us that there is a vast amount 
of force, both mental and physical, expended by this 
same lack of decision ; which force, if rightly directed 
or concentrated upon some useful object, would 
greatly increase our measure of joy. These disturb- 
ing elements should be removed, and the mind will 
then be at liberty to engage in pursuits and seize upon 
opportunities which only offer themselves to a fluent 
talker. 

There is no wish to enter upon a serious essay here, 
but this brief expression of thought may not be out of 
place. 

Were it necessary, this little circular could be 
greatly enlarged by hundreds of testimonials from, 
and references to, most eminent men, or an endless 
series of newspaper editorials and notices ; but we 



THE SCHOOL OF THE VOICE. 



prefer to allow it to contain merely a few letters from 
most recent pupils, as samples of those so often sent 
to us. If these should prove insufficient, we shall be 
glad to furnish others that go far back into the history 
of our school. 

Reputable physicians, as a rule, make no public 
endorsement of any system of teaching ; but the 
medical fraternity are well acquainted with our work, 
and our methods have been endorsed by all the great 
minds of science. We shall be glad to refer you to 
first-class physicians upon request. 

Our pupils and correspondents are not only from 
every State, but also from Europe, Canada and South 
America — a young man thirteen years old recently 
making the ocean trip here from the latter country 
alone, and being rewarded by a complete cure in the 
course of six weeks. Having such an extended 
patronage it will readily be seen that our claims must 
be undisputed ; a resident practice in New York City 
for such a length of time alone gives evidence of the 
character of the institution. 

No other city in the world possesses such attrac- 



THE SCHOOL OF THE VOICE. 



tions for the visitor, and nowhere do we find such 
competition in business and professional life ; a city 
where true merit alone insures success, and where an 
unskillful practitioner is speedily condemned by the 
censure of public opinion. What might be possible 
in Philadelphia, Boston or Cincinnati, could hardly be 
so in New York ; and while the former cities might 
tolerate an imposition, it could not long endure in the 
great metropolis. 

Several extracts from a liberal press are included in 
this prospectus, and these it will be seen are very 
recent. Occasionally some representative of the 
public press witnesses the instruction and notices 
improvement in our pupils, with the result frequently 
of very flattering accounts in the newspapers. Upon 
these and upon the good words spoken by our pupils 
after their cure do we depend for patronage; in fact 
nearly all our pupils come in this manner, and we do 
not rely upon extensive advertising for success. 



THE SCHOOL OF THE VOICE. 



Jersey City, N. J., 
September 18, 1888. 

Mr. Douglas McCallum. 

Dear Sir : I can but faintly express my gratitude 
for your efforts in freeing me from a most severe 
impediment of speech, which heretofore almost entire- 
ly excluded me from all society. I am now the 
wonder of my friends, and speak with an undreamed- 
of pleasure. Your mission is a most worthy one, and 
the success enjoyed by you in your philanthropic 
career is merited to the fullest extent. 

You may show this letter to anyone who may 
inquire, but you have so many that are much better 
than I could write for you. 

The four weeks I spent under your instruction 
have been among the most pleasant of my life. 
Instead of a gloomy period of dry study and confine- 
ment that I rather anticipated, I found everything 
decidedly the opposite, and would willingly remain 
longer, were it necessary, to overcome so dreadful a 
habit. 

Any doubts I could have had regarding your 
ability to cure stammering have been most agreeably 
and effectually banished. 

Permit me, sir, again to thank you for what you 
have done, and to assure you that in the life I am now 



THE SCHOOL OF THE VOICE 



but beginning, you will have my perpetual gratitude. 
Yours very cordially, 

Miss R. E. Rogers. 



[From the Boston Post, April 12, 1888.] 

" We witnessed the other day a curious and inter- 
esting spectacle at the popular institution conducted 
by Professor Douglas McCallum. As Mr. McCallum 
is not unknown in Boston, and is highly esteemed 
here as* a vocal instructor, a brief description of his 
work may not be out of place. His special business, 
however, is not that of vocal instruction, which, to 
speak the truth, is much overdone, and we can recall 
to mind the names of at least one hundred vocal 
instructors in New York who have good standing, 
and possibly but few of these who can be accorded 
first place as intelligent instructors; but Mr. McCallum 
is one of the cleverest among the best of them, 
although his special accomplishment is not that of a 
" vocal instructor," as the term is understood. 

"Several years ago he took up seriously the study of 
that strange and vicious habit known as stammering 
or stuttering, and, during his work in relieving it, has 
had many imitators who have gradually fallen away 
and given him first place. We found Mr. McCallum 



10 THE SCHOOL OF THE VOICE. 

a young man, full of energy and ambition, who has 
done, within his years of service, some remarkably 
good work, each successive year adding a large num- 
ber of persons to his list of those who so warmly 
praise him. His pleasure in noticing the improve- 
ment made, and the stammerer's joy upon finding his 
chains loosened, seems a stimulus to his exertions; and 
we can say that no one understands the stammerer's 
condition better than Mr. McCallum. 

" His whole time is devoted to the science of curing 
stammering, and he is, at this day, the only one who 
can be depended upon to do so. 

" It was due to Mr. McCallum that we witnessed 
the spectacle spoken of at the beginning of this article. 
The case was that of a child — probably twelve years 
old — who, besides a choreal affection, had stammered 
since she had begun to talk rationally. Mr. McCallum 
was confident that the child could be cured of this 
habit, and we may say at once that the cure is to-day 
complete. The method by which this cure was 
effected, we could of course only see in part, (for 
though nothing whatever is kept a secret from any- 
one, our time would not permit,) but what we did see 
in this case and that of others, seemed nothing less 
than nature applied to something quite abnormal. 
Every principle learned was in strictest accord with 



THE SCHOOL OF THE VOICE. II 

nature ; the child does not learn anything or any 
habit that has to be unlearned again. 

" This habit of stammering is one of those out of 
the way matters to which the average person seldom 
gives thought, yet it has become of the highest impor- 
tance, and parents having children who stammer, 
neglect an important duty if it is not attended to, for 
a stammerer is from every point of view unfortunate ; 
he has little chance to win a place in business, to enjoy 
social intercourse, or to acquire friends. 

" In certain cases it appears to have become hered- 
itary, but no matter how deep-rooted or apparently 
organic a case may be, we are informed it can be 
cured — a statement which will undoubtedly be relished 
by many unfortunates." 



Corry, Pa., August 24, ii 
Dear Mr. McCallum : 

Several months have elapsed since my return from 
your institution and I continue to talk well. I 
wouldn't be in the same condition again for five 
thousand dollars, it is such a pleasure to be able 
to talk and recite without great effort and feel that 
everyone's eyes are fastened upon me. 

I should like you to refer anyone to me that may 



12 THE SCHOOL OF THE VOICE. 



desire a reference for your system. I can say it is 
sound and wholly free of tricks. The course of exer- 
cises, lectures etc., for complete control of the vocal 
and respiratory organs, makes correct and accurate 
speaking a habit instead of the spasmodic and 
uncertain way a stammerer has. If these exercises 
are practised a short time under your instruction, a 
stammerer cannot fail to be convinced how easy it is 
to speak if he goes about it rightly, a feeling of con- 
fidence replaces that of timidity and his general con- 
dition of health is greatly improved. 

Your method has done so much forme that I can- 
not speak too highly of it. 

Yours very truly, 

Thaddeus S. Bentley 



The New York World, March 25, 1888, speaks of a 
case which was the subject of comment in various 
papers at the time, including the New York Tribune, 
Times, etc. : 

"One of our leading city papers recently mentioned 
at some length the case of a New York Custom House 
official, who obtained his appointment through the 
instrumentality of an institution for the cure of 



stammering, under the direction of Mr. Douglas 
McCallum. This instance is only one of many that 
can be traced to the decided benefits derived from 
a course of instruction at his school for the cure of 
this habit. 

" The official in question was unable to secure a 
desirable position on account of this vicious but 
curable habit of stuttering, but a short and apparently 
easy course of work at this school completely relieved 
him from all traces of the habit, and rendered the 
task of passing a civil service examination one not 
attended with difficulty. Although it is several years 
since it happened, the young man has hitherto kept 
the matter quiet, but now is pleased to allude to it as 
one chapter in the history of his since successful. life. 
Besides beings deeply grateful for his deliverance from 
a condition of speech most shocking, he says his cure 
has netted him thousands of dollars by increase of 
salary alone. ' No one but a stammerer,' he says, 
' can appreciate the importance of such a cure and the 
influence it sheds over his future life.' 

" The establishment dates back to 1868, since which 
time a large number of persons have been cured, and 
the twenty years of successful practice have given to 
this institution a world-wide reputation. Its present 
conductor, who has written a good deal upon the 



14 THE SCHOOL OF THE VOICE. 

subject and made it a life study, is a young man well 
fitted for the task he undertakes, having the know- 
ledge and experience necessary to completely cure 
every case coming under his care." 



Wright's Business College, 
Brooklyn, N. Y., May 23, 1888. 

Douglas McCallum, Esq. 

Dear Sir : — Young Master Carpenter, whom I 

recommended to you for treatment, called at my 

office the other day, and, to my great astonishment, 

showed no signs of stammering. What you have 

done for this boy is wonderful. I am glad to know 

you are so successful in your efforts to free people 

from this misfortune. 

Yours very truly, 

Henry C. Wright. 



The Rochester, (N. Y.) Post-Express, April 7, 
contains the following allusion to our school : 

" There are many odd callings pursued by men in 
New York, but the subject of this paragraph is a 
vocation decidedly out of the common ; we allude to 
the practice of a well-known and highly esteemed 



THE SCHOOL OF THE VOICE. 1$ 

teacher, Prof. Douglas McCallum. He directs the 
popular institution for the cure of speech defects at 
Steck Hall, between Fifth Avenue and Union Square. 
His particular profession has no other representative in 
good standing, and he is the only one who professes to 
be able to cure the vice or affliction known as stammer- 
ing. Were Mr. McCallum merely a vocal instructor, 
or a teacher of vocal and respiratory gymnastics, he 
would be by no means an interesting personage, these 
are numbered by thousands in New York ; but we find 
in him (and which is quite necessary for a complete 
and permanent cure of this habit) a combination of 
the most desirable qualities. His methods are 
imitated constantly by unscrupulous persons, who are 
in no way to be trusted ; but the system in vogue here 
is too well tried, and Mr. McCallum is not annoyed 
or injured by them. He says that stammerers only 
do themselves injury by patronizing them or giving 
credence to their assertions. 

"Mr. McCallum is the author of a valuable little 
book, ' Stammering, its Origin and Cure,' which out- 
lines a system of eclectic practice, or, in other words, 
a system which includes anything to be found good in 
any authority. His researches have resulted in the 
perfection of a method based upon scientific princi- 
ples and the broadest knowledge. 



THE SCHOOL OF THE VOICE. 



" Much of Mr. McCallum's success may evidently 
be attributed to his personal attention to the details 
of every case, his courtesy and kindness to great and 
small, his sympathetic nature, which makes you feel 
perfectly at home, and his wonderful perception in 
applying alike to the child and adult the peculiar 
instruction needed. What he has to say about children 
and their bringing up is especially useful. 

" Of course a stammerer cannot be cured unless he 
co-operates with his teacher, but when there is such 
co-operation, we are informed a cure is guaranteed in 
from three to six weeks." 



Citizens' Bank, 
Shelby, Iowa, August 6, il 
Douglas McCallum, Esq. 

Dear Sir : — My daughter is getting along very well 
with her talking. She has improved wonderfully 
and has not made a break in her speech since coming 
home in June last. She will start to college this 
Autumn, but had it not been that your treatment 
benefited her in talking, we would have had no 
encouragement in sending her to school : believe me 
we are truly grateful. 

Your work with young Mr. Brown was a wonder, 



THE SCHOOL OF THE VOICE. 



17 



and we all desire to thank you for your interest in 
making it pleasant for them while in New York. 

I feel that you have done us much good aside from 
curing the stammering. 

Yours respectfully, 

John Davis. 



The New York Times of April 15, 1888, advising a 
correspondent upon his best plan to follow in being 
cured says : 

" Professor McCallum is the only person to-day who 
can cure stammering. He has cured hundreds of 
chronic cases successfully. If you desire a speedy and 
thorough cure, consult him at Steck Hall, 11 East 
14th Street." 



132 Nassau St., New York City, 
September 7, 1888. 
Prof. Douglas McCallum. 

Dear Sir : — I must confess that I was highly grati- 
fied at your success in the case of Mr. Albert Clark, 
who, after only three weeks of your instruction, was 
able to converse in a perfectly normal and fluent 
manner. His case alone speaks volumes for the 



l8 THE SCHOOL OF THE VOICE. 

valuable character of the work upon which you are 
engaged, and suffices to prove that, where energy and 
determination are inherent in your pupil, you can do, 
in a remarkably brief time, what might be regarded 
as little short of a miracle. I am sure that a stam- 
merer cannot help being cured if he will resolve to 
place himself under your care. 

You may. at any time, refer to me, or use my name 
in commendation of your institution, in which, from 
the several cases I have referred to you in past years, 
I am disposed to place complete confidence. 
Yours respectfully, 

A. Faber du Faur, Jr., M. E. 

Solicitor of Patents. 



The New York World of September 16, 1888, says, 
in an article upon the judicious selection of a school : 

" The all important question is at hand — Where 
shall we place our boys and girls in order that they 
may be well taught, thoroughly trained and carefully 
guarded ? 

" We must be certain that the general health will be 
fostered. It is more important for a young person to be 
healthy at the outset than many parents seem to think. 



THE SCHOOL OF THE VOICE 



Time lost cannot be regained, and errors in education 
are almost impossible to neutralize or correct. 

" In order to undertake a course of study, a pupil 
must begin right ; habits which are detrimental to 
progress should be looked after, and any physical 
trouble have the care of a physician. Stammering 
should be stopped at once. It is useless sending 
children to school if they cannot recite — only a waste 
of time. For a thorough cure of this impediment, 
there is no better institution than than of Prof. 
Douglas McCallum in this city, and the merits of his 
method will inspire with confidence anyone who will 
investigate. We learn so much through the senses, 
that no amount of knowledge can pay us for the loss 
or deterioration of any faculty during the school 
period." 



The following was written to an inquirer upon the 

subject, by an author widely known and esteemed in 

all literary circles : 

19 West 24TH St., New York, 
August 23, 1888. 

Dear Mr. Hamilton : 

I am acquainted with Prof. Douglas McCallum's 

method of curing those painful defects of speech 



20 THE SCHOOL OF THE VOICE. 

known as stuttering and stammering, and whatever I 
could say to recommend that method, should be said 
in the strongest words. Prof. McCallum is able to 
force a stutterer, within a comparatively brief time, to 
articulate words clearly, to connect phrases smoothly, 
and, in brief, to express himself without the least 
suffering, and, I believe, without artificial effort. I 
have observed his treatment of pupils, or patients, if 
that may be a more correct term, and have found it 
simple, rational and wholesome. As a sympathetic 
instructor, I think he is admirable. I have no hesita- 
tion in recommending any victim of the stammering 
or stuttering habit, to his gentle and intelligent care. 
Yours very truly, 

George Edgar Montgomery. 



In a recent number of a New York musical monthly 

we find the following : — 

" Our Philadelphia correspondent writes us con- 
cerning a young man in the Quaker City who lately 
attended Mr. McCallum's school for the cure of a 
defect in speech; he says: — * * * 'It compelled 
him to abandon several promising situations and to 
give up his class in music teaching. Some months ago 
when I met him, he was in utter despair, but is now a 



THE SCHOOL OF THE VOICE. 21 

different man entirely, holding a responsible position 
in one of our city banks. There is not anyone in 
Philadelphia who can cure this habit successfully, 
unless it be in a very few cases, although one person 
has been making pretensions to do so. I am informed, 
however, that his practice of tricks, sucking breath in 
through the mouth, etc., is ridiculously absurd, and if 
he by chance cure anyone the case must be a mild 
one.' What stammerers we have seen seem to be 
quite sensible, and will doubtless steer clear of such an 
imposition. To be successful in curing this habit, we 
can readily see why a man must give his whole life to 
it; and we can hardly expect a mechanic by profession 
to develop the nature of a true teacher, and possess 
the keen insight into human nature, necessary to bring 
order into a stammerer's speech. We would as soon 
look for milk in a stone as to expect anything satis- 
factory from such a source." 

In commenting upon the above, Mr. McCallum 
would say, that he occasionally hears about persons in 
different cities, who, usually engaged in some other 
business, pretend to have some system for the cure of 
stammering. This information is received by letters 
of complaint, written by those who have patronized 



them, and which are often expressed in severe terms. 

The article given above evidently refers to some 
person in Philadelphia, who is undoubtedly sincere in 
his work and has probably made some cures of this 
habit. We are glad if such is the case, and he may 
be doing good in a small way; but so many persons 
have, from time to time, imitated us in our work, that 
this fact alone serves to elevate and increase the value 
of our school. 

If there is any reliable person who can satisfactorily 
cure all cases coming to his care, he has our best 
wishes; but caution should be exercised, before putting 
confidence in any system that has not stood the test 
of time. 



September 15, 1! 
Mr. Douglas McCallum. 

Dear Sir : It is with the greatest pleasure I send 
these few lines to you. When I arrived home and 
began to tell my experiences, my friends were amazed 
at the fluency of my talking. They said it was 
wonderful. I sometimes think I am in a dream, and 
expect to wake up and f]nd myself the way I w T as 



THE SCHOOL OF THE VOICE. 23 

before. But you can comprehend the pleasure which I 
take in speaking to others, and they enjoy the change as 
much as I. They say I speak better than the majority 
of people, as every word is so distinct and appears to 
come with so little effort. 

I think I improve every day, and not only in 
speech, but in health, strength and happiness. I shall 
recommend your school at every opportunity, for I 
feel what a vast difference it makes in a person to be 
entirely rid of the pernicious habit of stammering. 

Please give my sincere thanks to the ladies at 
your house. I shall never forget the kindness shown 
to me by them and yourself during the three weeks of 
August I was in the city of New York. 

Most respectfully yours, 

Albert E. McMillan. 
291 Brock St., Kingston, Ont, Canada. 



" The oldest, largest and best equipped institution 
for the cure of stammering in the world." — N. Y. 
Herald. 

" It is surprising that any should allow themselves 
to stammer, when a cure is here made such a certainty, 
and so greatly increases a person's chances in busi- 
ness and social life." — JV. Y. Tribune. 



24 THE SCHOOL OF THE VOICE. 

This leaflet is inadequate to properly express all 
that could be said to many kind patrons and corre- 
spondents. It must of necessity fail in some cases to 
occupy the place of a personal letter, but it is earnestly 
hoped that you will write in full for any desired infor- 
mation in our power to impart. All letters should be 
addressed to n East Fourteenth Street. 

To those living in or near the city of New York or 
visiting it for a time, a most cordial invitation is 
extended to call and witness our work, or converse 
with those who are here under instruction. Mr. M. 
will be at the school building daily from 10 to 4, or 
will make special appointments outside of those 
hours. 

The signs upon our building are very modest, 
merely announcing the words, " School of the Voice," 
and name of proprietor, and always have the wishes 
of pupils been strictly regarded, their names never 
being divulged without permission, or their confidence 
betrayed in any manner. 

Particulars of terms, board, location, etc., given 
upon application. 



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